SNRaiderFan

Patsfan, I don't understand? This is essentially the same team as last year, that had a chance to win the state tournament but folded in the first round for a glorious eigth place finish. This year you had a chance to win a weak earl bird tournament but didn't make the finals. This weekend you had a chance to win the choo choo but couldn't even win the weakest pool in the tournament. How many chances do you need?

Other than Anderson County has your little team ever beaten anyone?

But your right, this weekend put the season into focus. Same old KC. Has an excuse for everything. Hang onto those AC wins, that is probably the best you'll do.

By the way, we beat AC in camp this year. Since you seem to count camp wins as real wins "Quote: We beat East Ridge in camp and both coaches treated it as a real match..."

Can you believ this guy?

The best Catholic school in A/AA sure aint from Knoxville!

I am amazed that more has not been made of the poor showing that Knoxville Catholic made at the choo choo this week-end, not even winning their pool, which was stacked in their favor.

Coming from one of those other schools that NEVER gets talked about on here, I can't believe that so many of you have been picking this KC team to win the state. They looked average, and slow, this week-end. Notre Dame, on the otherhand, looks for real.

KC has 1 player, Wolf. There off setter can't jump, or pass, their MBs can't close the block, and their setter is SLOW. Where has this hype come from? This is a very unathletic team, but to read Patsfan and Daddy Juice they were another Brentwood.

I can understand hyping East Ridge or Anderson County because they have proven that they are good year after year, and they were number 1 and number 2 in the state last year with key players returning. But Knoxville Catholic?

I hope this weekend ends the premature awarding of the state championship to a team that finished 8th out of an 8 team field at state last year, with a quick first round exit. Sullivan North and Sullivan Central are BOTH capable of beating this team in the sub-state IF they make it.

I was not impressed this weekend. Wolf is the ONLY girl that can hit, and Bratman I was not that impressed. Brock, Benordin, and AC's OH are all better. She is good, but not at these other girls level. T Your coach seemed uninterested, especially when he was gettuing beat, it was like he didn't know what to do. Absolutely NO adjustments. And I agree with the other posters, SLOW don't win state championships.

This is ANOTHER example of a couple of dads (or moms) (obviously not Wolf's since Patsfan seems down on her) who never played sports getting on here to talk.

Notre Dame looks for real. They are my pick to win it all. KC, you better hope you don't travel up here for substate, as slow as you are it will be a long ride home.

Sullivan North will win Region 1 and SCentral will finish second.

I watched AC rip Science Hill and Tenn High, but they play young at times. If they have to travel up here this could be our year!

North played in the King College battle of the border tournament this week-end. Although we were short handed we still made it to the finals of the bronze division!

That is not the reason for this post. I have never seen a tournament more stacked for the home team (Tennesee High.)

There were 4 great teams at this tourney Pickens SC; Raleigh NC; Sullivan South; and Anderson County. Three of these teams went 3-0 in pool play South; AC and Raleigh and Pickens was 2-1 losing to South. No other teams went 3-0 with these four beating everyone.

Still, Tennessee High who went 1-2 (only beat Rhea County the weakest team at the tourney) made it to the gold bracket while AC at 3-0 and Pickens at 2-1 played silver. To make it worse in the gold bracket South had to play the other 3-0 team Raleigh while Tenn High got to play Cleveland who was 2-1 with wins over nobody.

The AC fans took it in stride, eventhough they had just beaten Tenn High in the last round of pool play when the brackets were announced.

Dissapointed that we had teams from SC; NC: GA and AL travel to our state to be home cooked. To make it worse the Tenn High coaches and fans strutted around like they should be in the gold bracket instead of apologizing to the AC and Pickens fans.

Also, I thought it was bad to make these teams that had traveled several hundred miles wait to play the finals until both courts cleared. That hadn't been done all tourney, but Pickens had to wait almost an hour to play their final game against AC when both teams were ready to play, asking to play, and a court was open, because Tenn High was still playing and the King Coach didn't want their game to be interfered with, eventhough this had been done all tourney.

Not a good message to send these teams that traveled to play.

Dobyns Bennett is strong this year. Look for them to make a run.

Iagree that too much "hype" was generated for Catholic way too early. Take away Wolfe, and what do they have? They lost the region MVP from last years team, and a solid middle, and last years team wasn't that good. They made a first round exit from the state tournament. How can you say they are better? How are they better? I would still go with the teams, and the coaches, that no how to win. If you are thinking that Anderson County and East Ridge are not going to be in the mix then you are crazy. When Notre Dame and Catholic win an elimination game at the state then we will talk.

Patsfan, As a Sullivan North Parent I take offense at the Kingsport (DB!!!) reference!

I lived in AC for two years and my husband coached at AC during that time. I met several of the parents and girls before we moved, and fell in love with AC's volleyball program.

As for agreeing with Bratty, I am alot more complient since the Raiders beat the Mavs at camp this summer. Winning does that!

Also, either KC or AC will be coming up here for sub-state, and our girls won't be serving cheddy's!

Great Players impact programs. A great system competes every year, with average players.

Now that season is ready to start here are my predictions under the new format.

Make state in alphabetical order:

Anderson County

East Ridge

Goodpasture

Knoxville Catholic

Livinston Academy

Notre Dame

West Rep

West Rep

Final Four:

Anderson County - Great Program, great coaches, great kids, surprise guest at the final four.

East Ridge - Great player leads experienced team back to the dance.

Knoxville Catholic - Will ride its superstar for as long as she can carry them.

Notre Dame - Best all around team at the dance.

Finals:

Wolf out duals Brock and Catholic wins.

Possible Upset - East Ridge does not want to play Notre Dame in the semi's.

Worst Case Scenerio - For any of the three favorites (ER, KC or ND) to have to play Anderson County, at the Murphy Center, for a trip to the finals. AC plays their best ball in October, at the Murph, and they almost always make the finals!

I saw AC at the King College camp. We played them a couple of times. They beat Tennessee High 3 out of 4 games, and I think Tenn High will be second in the region in AAA behind Sullivan South. AC is young, but they are AC, and with their coaching staff I can't imagine that they won't make the state tournament. I remember last year when everybody thought they were "down" and they made it to yet another state final!

I love the Brock family and think ER is awesome. I love coach Neely like a mother. Unless they plat North, I'm pulling for "The Ridge." With that being said I don't know if they can beat Knoxville Catholic.

Patsfan123, what are you smoking? Take Wolf off of the team and KC wouldn't make the State. Yes, they have a great setter. Yes, the returning MB and the transfer MB are very good. But who else will hit if you don't have Wolf?

KC is well coached. Wolf will get set alot because she is their best player, that is common sense. Laura is going to get set alot because she is ER's best player. In what I think is a down year in A/AA KC is the best team in the state, and should meet ER in the finals. I don't think anybody on this chat room disagrees with that. I got hot at KYDigs for making this prediction, but he is probably right. KC should win.

Hey, did you retire your own number at your middle school?

Parents do try and live through their kids, and parents do cause problems. Coach Neely is a strong personality and it doesn't happen much at ER.

Patsfan123, stick to football, because if you think KC wins without Wolf,

Played at East Ridge in high school, a long time ago. Played in college, but not well. Now I Coach midlle school ball!

But does the paying of part of the tuition by the local parrish violate the tssaa rules about no one paying tuition but a parent? It seems that these Catholic schools should all be D-II.

Is this a joke?

How can a frustrated dad from KY, who has never seen this team play, make this type of prediction.

I have read the stuff that KYdigs and Bratman get into and it is obvious that this this guy is just trying to stir up more stuff with Anderson County.

GLJ, you are awfully quick to hit the edit button, how is this beneficial?

Sure, it is okay to have fun making predictions. But this guy who says he is from KY and admits that he has never seen these teams play, is just trying to dig at mav/bratman who is already gone.

KYdigs, this is pathetic.

I remember Paul Brock when I was a player and I thought he was agreat coach and a better person. How could this happen?

Why would Joe Harmon have anything to do with Dig to win? I didn't think that he had ever coached anywhere. This is wrong if a non-volleyball person like Mr. Harmon has the power to fire a wonderful coach like Paul Brock.

I remember Coach Neely had problems with Dig to Win when it first started because the better volleyball people in the mid-state area weren't involved.

Club didn't exist when I played. It came a few years later. Now that I have a daughter situations like this make me leary of club. I know most of the posters on here love club. But something is wrong if someone like Paul Brock is fired. I can think of few coaches in the state any better.

From an outsiders view it looks like the people running the clubscan't get a coaching job and create one for themselves and then sell the idea that the club experience is superior to the training the player gets in high school.

I doubt there is ANY club coach better than Coach Neely; Coach Campbell; Coach Berry: Coach Harshbarger/Foster and Cantrell: or Coach Brock. How can a non volleyball person justify firing Paul Brock.

I will say that I don't know the club coaches up here in the tri-cities. I also like the big guy that coaches at Franklin and seems to run the Nashville club. Other than him and Coach Brock, do any of the other top coaches also coach club? If so where?

This saddens me, and makes me rethink club.

I remember the impact that Laura Brock had for East Ridge last year. Which "juniors" should we be watching?

While at the King camp I saw two girls that I didn't know that I believe are seniors. I know who AC's great libero is (Miranda Robbinns) I remember her from the last 3 state tournaments (when will this kid graduate) but who was there other captain. She was all over the gym? Red headed and fast. The two of them together on the back row kept anything from hitting the floor. Also, who was the big blond middle for Tennessee High?

What about sullivan east's back to back state finals against Brentwood? Also, Sullivan South has been great through several coaches. I would drop Baylor and add south.

I was with sullivan north at the King camp this week. We look pretty good. I think north will win a/aa for region 1. I thought Tennessee High looked good, but Anderson County just killed them and I heard some of their girls weren't there.

East Ridge has a great player in Laura Brock, and should repeat. As said before Anderson County, Notre Dame, Goodpasture... could always pull an upset but this on is their's to lose.

Webb has had some transfers and looks to be the best team returning in K-town. I predict that they will make their first state tourney appearance. The three transfers will be their best three players. If the group from last year can form into a godd "supporting cast" the new girls could take them a long way.

Farragut has Knoxville's best player in Benordin, but Maryville will be strong. Here in upper East Tennessee South is the only real power. AA is way down.

As an East Ridge alum, and former player (Coach's hair was dark back when i PLAYED!!!) and now a resident of East TENN, I agree that Laura Brock is the state's best player. She is the best ER player I have ever seen, and that includes her mom. She can do it all.

Jack Sparrow, Jack Forbes, whoever, let it go! AC is a great school with wonderful people associated with all of its athletic programs from the AD down to the managers.

We loved our time at AC and in Norris. Sports are for the kids, let them play and enjoy. Parents should be that, parents. Too many dads (and moms) are trying to live through their children. Obviously you never played competitve sports and you want to do so now.

Let this end.

Steve Sparrow,

Please, just because you couldn't get your way at AC doesn't mean that everybody should take their ball and go home. My husband and I loved our time in Norris, and thought that AC and the coaches were great! I don't know Faith other than I saw her play Volleyball this season and she looked like she was having a blast!

Steve, quit trying to live through your kids. AC is a great school. The only problem was they wouldn't let you get your way and you got mad. Leave it alone.

I agree with the Harpeth selection, they were a weaker team this year than last year, but won it all this year. The only difference was a coaching change. I also agree that they are not a one horse pony, they have an exceptional TEAM, not just a great player. Thats why I like the coach, she got the best out of everybody!

Losing Bryant will hurt, the loss of Leffew probably a bigger loss. Forbes was a good kid, but not worth the hassle of her parents and wouldn't start this year any way. Pittman is for real and should start at point guard because of her ball handling. This is one of the most athletic teams AC has had in years! Wish we had these girls at SNorth.

From talking to parents the offense needs to speed up, by slowing it down it takes away the athletic potential.

With this talent should at least make the sub-state.

Who do you think did the best coaching jobs this season?